Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.” —Groucho Marx

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

For Ever by CJ Valles/ SupaGurl- VBTour w/ GIVEAWAY




Coffee! Music! Alone Time!

Welcome author guest blogger, C J Valles this morning!  (viewing audience, thunders applause)

What are your writing quirks and must haves in order to write?

This is such a fun question! First, some history on me. When I started my first book—which remains unpublished—way back before For Ever, I stayed up all night almost every night writing. I also listened to certain tracks on iTunes over and over. When I wrote For Ever, I worked mostly during the daytime, but the music part didn’t change. I’ve added different songs, but there are a few (three actually) that are getting really close to a thousand plays apiece!
Now I can’t write and not listen to music. It actually feels like there’s something wrong if iTunes isn’t playing. But when I’m not writing, I almost never listen to iTunes. It’s like my brain has two different settings: writing and non-writing.
Another absolute must have when I’m writing is alone time. I can write when my husband is sleeping or out of the house, but if he’s in the other room—forget about it. I get up a million times to check on what he’s doing; I fidget; I procrastinate. Basically, I need to be in a cave by myself!
Now that I’m writing (mostly) during the day again, I also need carbonated water and copious amounts of black coffee—cold-brew only please! I finally bought a carbonator to cut back on plastic bottles, and I can go through five or six bottles of self-bubbled water a day. With coffee, I’m up to about 36 ounces as I’m writing the sequel to For Ever. Any more than that, and I’d probably twitch more than I write!
Lastly, I need to be a little bored in order to write. I know; it’s strange. Ernest Hemingway said, “In order to write about life first you must live it.” And yeah, I’ll agree with that. But if I’m stressed out, running around doing a bunch of stuff, worried about my personal life—well, then I don’t have the energy or imagination left to write and be really involved with my characters.
Beth, thanks for sharing a little space on Beth Art from the Heart! So fun!
Thanks for joining us C J and best of success with For Ever, forever!!  Lol
 

Blurb:

 For Ever starts now
Sixteen-year-old Wren Sullivan doesn?t want to know what other people are thinking about her?because most of the time it sucks. Too bad since that?s what happens every time she looks into someone?s eyes.

When she moves to Portland, Oregon, after her parents? divorce, Wren?s just hoping to get through the rest of her junior year unscathed. Instead, before the end of her second day in school, she wakes up in the hospital after her very own freaky demonic-possession incident. Wren can?t remember much. But soon she finds out that her ?episode? happened right after she locked eyes with the one classmate who happens to have gone missing.

Wren starts digging through people?s heads for the truth about him, and finds ? nothing. Godlike hotness? Yep. But nobody knows who Ever Casey really is. Even weirder, they don?t seem to care that he just disappeared. So, when he randomly shows up again in her first period class, she?s determined to get some answers. He may be perfect on the outside, but with one look into his eyes, Wren discovers his mind is also perfect ? perfectly empty.

Or is there something he doesn?t want her to see there that will put her and anyone near her in danger?

When For Ever ends, Never begins.
Never, the second book in The Ever Series, is coming soon.

My Review: 

I really enjoyed this story and I must continue to read the series to find the "rest of the story".  Our young heroine, Wren Sullivan is a transfer student, aged 16 and she can, when looking at a person, read their mind/thoughts or see pictures of what they are thinking.   At first I thought she was the typical snarky teenager who wanted no one to see her up close and personal.  Then it became clear she had been hurt by her rare talent...sometimes what others think of you, is unnerving to say the least.
Then she meets the boy who she can't read, Ever Casey.   His the most mysterious boy in school and he never speaks to anyone, but he starts being everywhere she is and saving her from death or injury.   It doesn't take Wren long to figure there is no human way possible....So what is he? and how does he?   Well that's the part you have to find for yourself, within the pages!
The characters are excellent...I could relate with Wren and her little group of friends, Ashley, Lindsey, Taylor and the guy folk, Josh, Marcus and several others.  Ever is well defined and I could accept his confusion as the relationship between Wren and Ever grows.   And I really loved Wrens mom, Caroline!  She was a wonderful mom, consumed by her work and guilt ridden about being a single mom and doing her best to be there for Wren.   It was a YA paranormal romance story and very sweetly written.  The characters were well written and I enjoyed it.   There was only one chapter that didn't fit real well and that was the explanation chapter by the older "OTHERS".   There just wasn't sufficient explanation and that left me wanting, but I suspect that will come in the form of book Two, Never.   I need to get out of these series, or I'll never complete my TBR pile....I give this book 4 winks!  Thank you CJ!  SO Good!

About the Author:


C. J. grew up in Southern California before moving to Northern California for college, where she majored in English and psychology. A professional writer for more than a decade, she finished her first novel in 2008 for fun and practice.
For Ever isn’t that novel.
When she isn’t writing fiction, C. J. works as a freelance public relations writer. She lives in Portland, Ore., with her husband, the saint who spent an entire weekend reading For Ever.
Contact C. J. at author@cjvalles.com.
 http://cjvalles.blogspot.com/
(Borrowed from CJ's Website)



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer:  I read for my pleasure.   I may receive ARC copies for review purposes, but I am not compensated for my reviews .  I like to read and I like to share my reviews.   I post my thoughts without prejudice or bias.  The words are mine and I write reviews based on my humble opinion.  I will admit, I seldom meet a book I don't like.

 

 

6 comments:

C. J. said...

Thanks, Beth, for taking the time to host (and review!) For Ever. I had so much fun with the guest post!

Unknown said...

Thank you for commenting CJ! Can't wait for the next installment!

Unknown said...

I'll be watching you too! lol

Momma G said...

Thanks for the Giveaway

Unknown said...

Anytime Cami!

Anonymous said...

I like to read mysteries and suspense, but try to broaden my horizons:)